Electric circuit controller



v Dec. 23, 1941. E. M. CLAYTOR ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CONTROLLER Filed Feb.23, 1958 7 lNvENToR v gm/77; g Y

` ATTORNEY@ Patented Dec. 23, 1941 ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CONTROLLER Edward M.Claytor, Anderson, Ind., assigner to General Motors Corporation,Detroit, Mich., a

corporationA of Delaware Application February 23, 1938, Serial No.191,937

11 Claims. .(Ci. 20o-59) This invention relates to electrical circuitcontrollers comprising a movable contact member which is actuated bymeans having a lost-motion connection between the members.

It is an object of the invention 'to provide a simple and effectivemeans for maintaining the movable switch contact member in either of itsoperating positions while the switch actuating member is being moved ineither direction to take up the lost motion. To accomplish this object,I provide a permanent magnet, preferably of the horseshoe type andlocate a portion of the movable contact member between the poles of themagnet. At least that portion of the movable contact member which islocated between the poles of the magnet is made of magnetizablematerial. Either pole of the magnet will maintain the contact member inone of its positions of operation until the switch-actuating member ismoved a distance sulcient to take up the lost motion and move the switchcontact member tothe other position in which it is retained by the otherpole of the magnet.

It is also a part of the present invention to apply a lost-motionactuated permanent magnet contr-ol switch to the control circuit of theengine starting apparatus for internal combustion engines. I havedisclosed in the present application two forms of engine startingapparatus in which such a switch is employed. In the rst form of enginestarter control the lost-motion mechanical actuator is pedal operatedbut is conditioned for operation or`for non-operation by the meansresponsive to the operation of the engine, for example, by suctionproduced by the engine. In the s'econd form of engine starter controlcircuit the lost-motion actuator is moved directly by a means responsiveto engine suction and is not controlled manually.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention isclearly shown.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a structural and wiring diagram illustrating the ilrst formof engine starter including the present invention;

Figure 2 is a structural and wiring diagram illustrating the second formof engine starter control circuit embodied in the present invention;

Figure 3 is a plan view oi the circuit controller unit shown in sectionin Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view looking in the direction of arrow 4 ofFigure 3.

In Figure 1, 20 designates a storage battery grounded at 2|, connectedby wire 22 with starter switch contact 23 connectible by a contact 24with a contact 25 connected by wire 26 with an electric starting .motor2T grounded at 28. The contact 24 is connected with a solenoid armature29 cooperating with an electromagnet 30 which is connected with contact23 and by wire 3| with an automatic circuit controller 5D to bedescribed.

The controller is manually controlled by accelerator pedal 32 pivoted at33 upon the floorboard 34 of an automobile. Pedal 32 is connected by arod 35 passing through the automobile toe board 36 and connected with athrottle valve lever 31 carried by throttle valve shaft 38 which carriesbutterily valve 39 which controls the fuel intake passage 40. Valve 39is normally retained in engine idling position by spring 4| xed at oneend to an eye 42 attached to the automobile toe board 36 and fixed atthe other end to a collar 43 attached by set screw 44 to the rod 35 inthe desired position of adjustment. The spring 4| urges the valve lever31 counterclockwise into engagement with a stop 45 in which position thebutterfly valve 39 is in engine-idling position.

The controller 50 comprises a two-part housing consisting of members 5|and 52 supporting a guide tube 53 providing a guide fora bar 54connected by eXible Wire 55 with the ear 56 of the clamp bracket 51which can be iixed to the rod 35 in the desired position of adjustmentby tightening a screw 58. The bar 54 carries a cross pin 59 whichextends through longitudinal slots 6D in the tube 53. A spring 6I' islocated between a flange 62 of the guide tube 53 and the pin 59 tends tourge the bar 54 toward the right. The spring 6| is weaker than thespring 4|; hence the spring 4| contracts to hold the spring 6| incompressed condition as shown.

The controller 50 includes a stationary contact 63 to which the wire 3|is connected. Contact 63 is engaged by the Contact 64 carried by an arm65 which is pivoted on a stud 66 carried by housing member 52. At leastthe free end portion of contact arm 65 is magnetizable and is locatedbetween the poles of the C-shaped permanent magnet 66- secured tohousing 52. The magnetizable portion of arm 65 is wider than the polefaces of permanent magnet 66 in order to pick up stray flux. The facesof the pole of magnet 66 are rounded so as to limit the contact with arm65 to a small area in order to concentrate the flux. The contact 64 isheld separated from the contact V63 by engagement of the magnetizablecontact arm 65 with the lower pole face of magnet 66. The contact 64 isheld in engagement with the contact 63 by engagement of the magnetizableend in contact arm 65 with the upper pole of magnet 66.

The contact arm 65 is moved up'and down by the lost-motion mechanicalactuator including a lever pivoted on the stud 66 and having iingers 1|and 12 spaced apart the distance greater than the width of contact arm65, thereby providing a lost-motion connection between lever 10 andcontact arm 55. Lever 10 is urged counterclockwise, so that its finger1| will normally engage contact 65, by a coiled leaf spring13 having itsinner end passing through a groove or cross notch in the stud 66, andhaving its outer end engageable with a pin 14 carried byA lever 10. Theupper end of lever 10 is connected by-vpin 15 with a motion-transmittingpart or bar 16 which is shiftable from the full line position,v shown inFigure 1, to the dash line position 16a', in which position it islimited by a stop 11. The means for moving the bar 16 is responsive toen.- gine intake suction and comprises a diaphragm box which includesmembers 80 and 8|, between .A

the flanges of which the periphery of a exible cloth diaphragm 82 isclamped. Member 8| is secured to the upper side of the housing member5|. Member 68 carries a tubular bushing 63 to whicha pipe leading to theengine intake passage is connected. Bushing 83 provides a shoulder 84,serving as a stop for the upper end of a compressed spring 85, the lowerend of which bears against a cup washer 86 located on the upper side ofthe diaphragm 82. Diaphragm 82 is connected with a rod 61 having areduced portion 88 passing through the diaphragm 82 and washer 86 andriveted over against the washer.

Rod 81 has a reduced portion 69, the lower end of which extends at rightangles to the main portion of the rod, as indicated at 90. The portion90 extends through an elongated opening 9| in the bar 16.

The mode of operation of the engine starting device shown in Figure lwill now be described. When the engine is at rest the diaphragm 62 willbe down, as shown, since spring 85 urges the diaphragm downwardly untilthe larger portion of the rod 81 engages the bottom of the diaphragm boxmember 8|. To start the engine the operator presses the pedal 32clockwise to open the fuel valve 39 by moving the rod 35 toward theright. This movement of the rod 35 carries the lug 56 of the clampbracket 51 toward the right thereby tending to put slack in the exiblewire 55, whereupon the compressed spring 6| is released to move the rod54 into engagement with the bar 16, thereby moving the lever 'l0clockwise against the resistance of the coiled leaf spring 13. Thiscauses the finger 1| to be moved away from the contact 65 and the iinger12 to be moved into engagement therewith whereupon the lost motion istaken up and contact 64 is moved into engagement with contact 69 andheld in that position during the starting of the engine. Contact 64remains in engagement with contact 63 during the engagement Iof contactarm 65 with the upper pole face of magnet 66, although the arm 10 mayWaver from contact-closing position due to the fact that the operatormay not evenly apply foot pressure against the pedal 32.

When contact 64 engages contact 63 solenoid magnet is connected to thebattery through the following circuit: wire 22, contact 23, magnetVarmature 3|, contacts 63 and 64, contact arm 65 and ground connections65a and 2|. The movable contact 24 will be attracted downwardly away.from stop 24a and against the resistance of spring 2lb. Then the motorstarting circuit will be closed and the motor 21 will operate to crankthe engine. When the engine becomes self operative, the suction in theintake passage will be such that the diaphragm 82 will move upwardlyagainst the action of the spring 85 thereby moving bar 16 from theposition shown in full line to the dot-dash line position of 16a. Inthis po' sition the left end of the bar 16 is clear of the right end ofbar 54. Therefore, spring 13 wi11 be released to move the lever 10 in acounterclockwise direction thereby causing its nger 1| to engage thecontact arm 65 and move it downwardly against the lower pole face ofmagnet 66 and thereby separate contact 64 from contact 63 causingdisconnection of the solenoid magnet from battery 20 whereupon theengine starting motor 21 will cease to function. i

The bar 16 can not drop from the position 16a so long as the bar 54 isdirectly underneath it. This feature is used to advantage since it makes,it impossible to bring the left-hand end of bar 16 into alignment withthe right-hand end of the bar 54 so long as the engine is operating.When the-throttle valve 39 is in idle position, suction will besuiiiciently'great to hold the bar 16 in the position 16a. During,operation of the engine at full load and low speed when the valve 39 iswide open, the bar 54 will be underneath the bar 16, but the bar 16 cannot drop although the engine intake suction is very low and insufficientto overcome the spring 85. Immediately the engine picks up in speed withthe falling off of load the driver will release pressure on pedal 32 towithdraw the bar 54 toward the left and past the left-hand end of bar16; but, by this time, the engine intake suction will have increased sothat the bar 16 is lifted intothe position 16a.

Incase the engine should stall then the engine suction would decrease tozero and the bar 16 would drop down into alignmentgwith the bar 54. Thedriver would instinctively press the pedal 32 to open the fuel valve tomake the engine run; and this act would, of course, eilect therestarting of the engine.

In the second form of engine starter, shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, therestarting is eiected automatically, lthe starting circuit being closedat one point by the closing of an ignition switch and closed at anotherpoint by an automatic switch embodying another form of the presentinvention. This automatic switch is not manually actuated but isactuated automatically dlrectly by means responsive to engine intakesuction.

The suction responsive means comprises diaphragm box members |00 and|0|, between the flanges of which is clamped the periphery of a clothdiaphragm |02 urged upwardly by a spring |03, the lower end of whichrests against a shoulder provided by a tubular bushing |04, the lowerend of which may be connected by a suitable coupling with a pipe leadingto the engine intake. The diaphragm |02 is xed to a rod |05 having areduced upper end |06, which threadedly receives nuts |01 and |08. Thereduced portion |06 is joined with the larger portion of the 'rod |05 bya shoulder |09. The reduced portion |06 of rod |05 passes through alarger hole in a switch armature ,arm H0, carrying buttons anemona and||2, engageable respectively with the upper and lower pole faces of aC-shaped electromagnet I I3, which is secured by screws ||4 and II5, anda clamp bracket IIB to a` base ||1. At least the end portion of the armand the buttons and ||2 are made of masnetizable material.

The base |1 is attached by one or more screws I |3 to diaphragm boxmember |0I, the screws being threaded into a plate IIS nxedfto the innersurface of the box |0I. Plate ||1 provides spaced ears |20 supporting across pin I2| which provides a pivotal support for ears |22 integralwith the amature lever ||0. It will be noted that the space along thereduced end of the rod |05 and between the shoulder |09 and the nut |01is greater than the thickness of the armature lever ||0. Thisconstruction providesl a lost-motion connection between lever ||0 andits actuating rod |05. Lever ||0 insulatingly supports a resilientcontact arm |30 carrying a contact |3| engageable with a contact |32carried by bracket |33 insulatingly supported by the plate ||1 andproviding a terminal |34. Leaf spring contact arm |30 is connected by ailexible conductor |35 with a terminal |35 insulatingly carried by plate||1.

The engine starter circuit comprises a battery |40 grounded at |4| andconnected by Wire |42 with a starter switch contact |43 having anotherstationary contact |44 connected with the engine starting motor |45vgrounded at |46. Contacts |43 and |44 are bridged by movable contact|41 normally urged by a spring |48 against stop |49. The contact |41 isfixed to a solenoid amature |50 which is attracted downwardly by anelectromagnet |5| when energized. Magnet |5| is connected with theterminal |34 by a wire |52 and with a contact |53 provided on theignition switch which includes stationary contacts 54 and |55 and athree-prong movable contact |56.

To start the engine with the apparatus shown in Figure 2, the operatorcloses the ignition switch thereby bringing the prongs of contact |56into engagement with contacts |53, |54 and |55, thereby connecting thebattery |40 with the engine ignition and thereby energizing magnet coil|5| through the following circuit: battery |4I, wire |42, switch Contact54, contact |55, contact |53, coil |5I, wire |52, terminal |34,

- bracket |33, contact |32, contact |3|, contact |35 and arm |30,iiexible wire |35, terminal ground connections |36a and I4I. During thecranking of the engine the suction in the fuel intake pipe may increaseslightly and tend to move the diaphragm |02 downwardly against theaction of spring |03, but the movement will not be sufficient to causenut |01 to engage the upper side of the armature arm ||0. Although theshoulder |09 moves away from armature arm I0, this arm will not'movedownwardly because it is held up due to the engagement of button withthe upper pole of the magnet I|3.

After the engine becomes self operative, the suction in the intakepassage will be suicient to cause the diaphragm |02 to move downwardlyand to cause lost motion to be taken up between |05 and the armatureIIB, and the nut |01 will engage the upper side of the armature arm |I0and move `it downwardly and bring the lower button |I2 into engagementwith the face of the lower pole of magnet ||3. The contact arm |30 willbe moved downwardly thereby separating its contact |3| from thestationary contact |33, thereby interrupting the connection between themagnet coil |5| and the battery |40, whereupon the engine starting motor|45 will cease to operate.

During the operation of the engine the intake vacuum will vary somewhataccording to the engine operating conditions, and the rod |05 will moveup and down but without causing the armature lever to move intocontact-closing position, unless the engine suction has fallen to asubnormal value, that being a value below any which would exist duringthe operation of the engine. Therefore, the engine starter will not beoperated while the engine is operating; but immediately the engine stopsor operates at an excessively low speed, the spring |03 will bepermitted to move the rod |05 to its upper position, shown in Figure 2,whereupon the engine starter control circuit will be re-established dueto closing of contacts |3| and |32. This insures restarting of theengine automatically in case of a stall.

From the foregoing description of construction and mode of operation ofthe two engine starter control circuits involving the present invention,it is apparent 'that this invention includes a lost-motion-actuated,magnet-controlled switch in which a permanent magnet ls used to hold aswitch contact arm in either of two positions, while the switch actuatoris moved to take up lost motion either in one direction or the other. Inboth forms of engine starter control circuits, the movement of thelost-motion actuator is controlled automatically by means responsive toengine operation; for example, in response to suction means operated byengine intake vacuum. In the first form of invention, the engine intakesuction responsive device controls a mechanical connection between theaccelerator pedal and the lost-motion actuator. In the second form ofthe invention, the engine suction responsive means directly operates thelost-motion switch contact actuator.

While the embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed,constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims whichfollow.

What is claimed is as follows:

l. A circuit controller for internal combustion engines or the likecomprising a magnetizable circuit controlling arni movable between twopositions, magnetic means retaining the arm in either position, anoperating member for moving the controlling arm toward each of its twopositions, a lost motion connection between said, arm and said operatingmember, and means adapted to respond to a condition of engine operationfor controlling the operation of said operating member.

2. A'circuit controller for internal combustion engines or the likecomprising a pivotally mounted circuit controlling arm having amagnetizable portion, and movable between two positions, magnetic meanscooperating with the magnetizable portion of said arm to retain it ineither position, an operating member for engaging and moving thecontrolling arm toward each of its two positions, a lost motionconnection between said arm and said operating member, and means adaptedto respond to operation of an engine control member for actuating theoperating member.

3. A circuit controller for use with internal combustion enginescomprising a movably mounted circuit controlling arm having amagnetizable portion and movable between two positions, a permanentmagnet having pole faces 1ocated on either side of said magnetizableportion to retain the arm in either position, an actuator, lost-motionconnecting means between the arm and actuator, and -means responsiveto-engine intake suction for controlling the operation of the actuator.

s. A circuit controller for use with internal combustion enginescomprising a movably mounted circuit controlling arm having amagnetizable portion and movable between two positions, a permanentmagnet having pole faces located on either side of said magnetizableportion to retain the arm in either position, an actuator, lost-motionconnecting means between the arm and actuator, and means responsive toengine intake suction for moving the actuator.

5. A circuit controller for use with internal combustion enginescomprising a movably mounted circuit controlling armV having amagnetizable portion and movable between two positions, a permanentmagnet having pole faces located on either side of said magnetizableportion to retain the arm in either position, an actuator, lost-motionconnecting means between the arm and actuator,a manually operablemember, and means responsive to engine intake suction for controlling aconnection between the member and the actuator. f

6. A circuit controller for use with internal combustion enginescomprising a movably mounted circuit controlling arm having amagnetizable portion and movable between two positions, a permanentmagnet having pole faces located on either side of said magnetizableportion to retain the arm in either position, an actuator, lost-motionconnecting means between the arm and actuator, a bar movable in responseto av manual control of the engine, a motion transmitting part connectedwith the actuator and normally located so as to be engaged by the bar,and means responsive to the self operation of the engine for moving themotion-transmitting part away from the path of movement of the bar.

7. A circuit controller for use with internal combustion enginescomprising a movably mounted circuit controlling arm having amagnetizable portion and movable between two positions, a permanentmagnet having pole faces located on either side of said magnetizableportion to retain the arm in either position, an actuator, lost-motionconnecting means between the arm 4and actuator, a bar movable inresponse to afmanual control of the engine, a motion-transmitting partconnected with the actuator and normally located so as to be engaged bythe bar, and means responsive to-engine` intake suction for moving themotion-transmitting part away from the path of movement of the bar. n

8. A circuit controller for the starting circuit of an internalcombustion engine comprising a movably mounted circuit controlling armhaving a magnetizable portion and movable between two positions,magnetic means having poles located on opposite sides of saidmagnetizalole,portion to retain the arm in either position, an actuator,lost-motion connecting means between the arm and actuator, a bar movablein response to the control of the engine throttle, a motion-transmittingpart connected with the actuator and normaly located so as to 'beengaged by the bar, and means responsive to engine intake suction formoving the motion-transmitting part away from the path of movement ofthe bar, said part being prevented from returning to operative positionby the bar when engine intake suction falls on during operation of theengine.

9. A circuit controller for the starting circuit of an internalcombustion engine comprising a movably mounted circuit controlling armhaving a magnetizable portion and movable between vtwo positions,magnetic means having polesA located on opposite sides of saidmagnetizable portion to retain the arm in either position, an actuator,lost-motion connecting means between the arm and actuator, a bar movablein response to the control of the engine throttle, a motiontransmittingpart connected with the actuator and normally located so as to beengaged by the bar, whereby movement of the actuator by the bar and partcauses the starting circuit to be completed, a spring tending to resistthe circuit completing movement of he actuator and to return actuator toa circuit interrupting position, and means responsive to engine intakesuction for moving the motion-transmitting part away from the path ofmovement of the bar, whereupon the spring is released to move theactuator and movable arm into circuit-interrupting position. Y

10. A circuit controller comprising a magnetizable circuit controllingarm movable between two positions to close and open a circuit,

magnetic means for retaining the arm in eitherV one of its two positionsafter it has been moved thereto, a single operating member adapted toengage and move the controlling arm toward either of its two positions,said operating member being so constructed and so positioned withrespect to the controlling arm that said member moves through a part ofits range of movement before it engages the controlling arm when movingthe latter toward either one of its two positions.

11. A circuit controller comprising a circuit controlling arm pivoted atone end and having a portion thereof at the opposite end magnetizable,said arm being movable between two positions to close and .open acircuit, magnetic means cooperating with the magnetizable portion ofsaid arm for retaining the arm in either one of its two positions, asingle operating member adapted to engage the controlling arm at a pointrelatively near to the pivoted end in order to move said arm towardeither of its two positions, said operating member being so constructedand so positioned with respect to the controlling arm that said membermoves through a part of its range of movement before it engages the.controlling arm when moving the latter toward either one of its twopositions. EDWARD M. CLAYTOR.

